Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen has etched his name into the NHL record books.
The netminder made history on Sunday afternoon as he backstopped his team to a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The win was Lankinen’s 10th consecutive on the road to start the season, a new NHL record.
KEVIN LANKINEN MAKES HISTORY! ⭐️
He is the first goalie in NHL history to start a season 10-0-0 on the road. 👏 pic.twitter.com/YoA3khSIcK
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 1, 2024
Lankinen had previously tied Cam Talbot and Glenn Hall for the record with nine wins after a victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
The 29-year-old has been very good for the Canucks this year. He’s been the team’s best player on many nights and has made the absence of Thatcher Demko much easier to bear.
Lankinen now has a 11-3-2 record, a 2.57 goals-against-average, and a .909% save percentage. General manager Patrik Allvin hit a home run with this late summer signing.
“I’ve played with some pretty good goaltenders my whole career and he’s stepped right in and really done the job for us and more,” said winger Jake DeBrusk about his goalie.
“He’s been a stud for us.”
Demko is now on the verge of returning to the lineup but when he does, the Canucks are still expected to rotate Lankinen in semi-frequently. Head coach Rick Tocchet has clearly been impressed and will likely use a platoon of the two players, especially as Demko works his way back up to full speed.
This breakout season has been even more important for the Canucks considering young goalie Arturs Silovs’ struggles. Last year’s playoff star has failed to repeat that same level of play this year, forcing the Canucks to turn to Lankinen over and over. Thankfully, that has worked out thus far.
Lankinen’s record wasn’t the only one set by the Canucks in today’s game against the Red Wings. Captain Quinn Hughes picked up three assists to set a new franchise record for most career helpers by a defenceman.